Introduction: A Debt at the Café
You are sitting in a café. After you finish your order, the waiter smiles politely and adds a small, complimentary dessert that is not on the menu, saying, "This one is on the house, from us". You enjoy the dessert. Now it's time for the bill. As the waiter holds out the tip jar , you feel a moment of hesitation. The pressure to leave a higher tip than you normally would arises.
What if the waiter hadn't given you that treat? Would you have still left the same tip? Probably not. That difference is a price your brain pays without your knowledge. This feeling is what triggers the Reciprocity Debt, one of the most powerful psychosocial mechanisms today.




